At the top of the line, the Gretsch Synchromatic 400 sported the same model number as Gibson’s Super 400, which had started the movement to 18-inch bodies in 1934.

Like the Gibson and Epiphone’s Emperor, the Synchromatic 400 was highly ornamented, with mutliple layers of binding around the body, slashed “humptop” blocks on the fingerboard, and gold-plated hardware. The stairstep bridge extension, elongated pickguard and harp-shaped tailpiece added distinctive aesthetic touches.